Tablet computers are not real computers. Technically, that statement is false, but in real-world use it’s accurate. Tablets are very good for consuming information, such as books, news, and videos. But unlike desktop and laptop machines, tablets are lousy at creating information, such as court briefs, long memos, and patent filings. Lawyers and people in many information-centric fields deserve a device that accepts input as well as it presents output.
So I had to chuckle when I looked back at InfoWorld‘s cover article from May 7, 1984 — “A ‘Real’ Computer On Your Lap?” — which told readers about “ notebook-size computers with all the power of desktop systems” and promised to “describe in detail how the new wave of machines will radically alter the face of computing.” Replace “notebook-size” with “tablets” and it’s a story I’d like the opportunity to write in 2012 — although I’m skeptical of the trend panning out.
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